THREE Sundays ago, I wrote a column about my return visit to Cotabato City after nearly five years, a break mainly due to the coronavirus pandemic and other commitments. That column highlighted the remarkable changes I witnessed in the city, sparking fascinating feedback from a former graduate student now serving as a government official in Mindanao. She said a high-ranking official in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) was pleased to read positive news from someone not driven by financial motives. My former student informed this official about our collaboration on research projects, seminars and conferences, emphasizing my genuine support for the BARMM.

Such comments deeply pleased me because they accurately reflect my unpaid advocacy through writing, even with this newspaper. I often focus on positive developments in Mindanao, my birthplace and home until my early adulthood. I am optimistic about the BARMM's success due to my collaborations with regional stakeholders, including public officials, religious leaders, academics, youth groups, nongovernmental organizations and development partners who are genuinely invested in seeing the region overcome its challenges and achieve its goals of lasting peace and prosperity.